2023 has been a stellar year for video games, with big-name titles and surprise hits coming out all the time. One of the most recent AAA games to join that number is Final Fantasy 16, an action-heavy take on the old fantasy franchise. In just a few months, it should be joined by more titles like Starfield, Payday 3, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The latter's release holds extra meaning, as Insomniac Games also has Marvel's Wolverine waiting in the wings. Fans of Marvel's Wolverine are keen to see the prolific developer's take on another of Marvel's most popular superheroes.
Currently, there is no release date for Marvel's Wolverine, but being far off isn't a big concern. If anything, Wolverine can take lessons from any titles released in its absence. Not only can it react to Marvel's Spider-Man 2 reception, Wolverine can also learn lessons from other games like Final Fantasy 16. That pair may end up having quite a bit in common, as Marvel's Wolverine will likely dip into the hack-and-slash genre of past Wolverine titles more than Insomniac's Spider-Man games have. Within that format lies several structural ideas that Final Fantasy 16 has explored, and Marvel's Wolverine should take note of.
Final Fantasy 16's Focused Maps Emphasize Its Strengths
Certain trends among big-budget games have formed over the years, such as emphasizing polished visuals or reaching a minimum hour count. Another common element is some degree of non-linearity, sometimes manifesting as a full open world game where the player can travel in any direction. They often still need to begin important tasks at specific points within that giant map, but in the meantime they can enjoy the act of traversing such massive environments and finding organic activities or collectibles along the way.
Open world maps are not a requirement, however, and certain games like God of War Ragnarok and Final Fantasy 7 Remake sport plenty of side paths and optional activities without one. In fact, both titles become extremely linear at points, mimicking the dungeons and constrained stages commonly found in older games. Final Fantasy 16's action sequences follow this approach so closely that the game features an arcade mode with segmented levels, even while the main game includes expansive areas like any other Final Fantasy.
Marvel's Wolverine Must Walk The Same Line As FF16's World
It's this particular formula of several large maps with further segregated smaller levels that could be a lifesaver for Marvel's Wolverine. Compared to Spider-Man, Wolverine is more grounded; he could theoretically plunge his claws into concrete and swing his way up a building, even surviving a jump off with his healing factor, but Wolverine's powers just don't make for organic open world travel. With an almost-guaranteed heavy focus on combat, even compared to the frequent brawling of the Spider-Man games, Marvel's Wolverine would be better suited with a more restrained approach.
The specific way Final Fantasy 16 approaches its world is perfect for Wolverine. Multiple large maps could represent various places in Wolverine's world, as the aged hero is known for traveling the globe. Certain places could support travel-by-motorcycle similarly to FF16's Chocobos, and there may even be a primary hub paralleling Cid's Hideaway, perhaps through Wolverine returning to the Xavier Institute. Using the power of the PS5, Clive Rosfield can quickly fast travel between such maps, and get in scuffles within the open world or in more directed action sequences. By using the same model, Marvel's Wolverine should be able to stand out from Marvel's Spider-Man without becoming too linear for its own good.
Marvel’s Wolverine is currently in development for PS5.